Night Raid's Fairy's
by dude932
Summary: The western countries were meant to be nothing but a simple stepping stone for the Empire to overcome. Given orders to destroy or bring any future alliances with the Empire, Esdese set's out to the continent of Earthland unaware that she'd be facing beings with incredible power to match Teigu. Guild's fall to her army but what happens when there are two survivor's who want revenge?
1. Chapter 1

"Natsu, run!" Gray shouted as he saw the Dragon Slayer stumble and stabilise himself against a tree to catch his breath, it would have been an odd sight for the Dragon Slayer and Gray would of mocked him under any other circumstances but right now, they didn't have the luxury. Both wizards were covered in blood, dirt and god knows what else and they currently had an army's hunting party on their trail with one psychotic woman at the head of it's army. They needed to get out of here, right now.

It had seemed like it had been going to be a good day when they first woke up in camp that morning, sure they had to wake up to see one another since they had taken a job together but they were heading back to Magnolia which put them both in good moods. When they had reached the city, it had been a totally different story.

* * *

-Earlier-

"I'm never going on a job with you again." Gray sighed as he rolled his shoulders as they walked down the path. "First you bitch about every little thing on the train, throw up on my shoes and then have the nerve to say it was all my fault!"

"Would you stop yelling at me." Natsu mumbled. "You're voice is annoying." He sighed, the ice wizard had been annoying him all day and quite frankly it was beginning to grate on his nerves but they were close to Magnolia and that means Erza was close, if the two started fighting then Erza would know about it and they'd get their asses kicked, both were already slightly injured from the monster attack on the village and didn't need to add even more injuries by Erza. Natsu stopped making Gray run into the back of him.

"What the hell?" Gray questioned pushing Natsu to the side and marching past him.

"It's smoke." Natsu said sniffing at the air. "There's a fire somewhere."

"Sure you're not just making an excuse to go get something to eat?" Gray questioned as he turned to look back at Natsu but stopped as he saw that he was sniffing at the air with a serious expression on his face. "Natsu?"

"It's big." Natsu told him. "Larger then a house fire."

"You can tell by just the smell?"

"It's because there are several fires." Natsu told him. "It's coming from the direction of Magnolia." Both at the same moment looked to the tree tops and both of their eyes widened as they saw thick black smoke rising from above the tree tops.

"Shit, let's go!" Gray shouted already running, Natsu right beside him as they ran towards Magnolia.

* * *

-Present-

"Shit!" Gray cried as he stumbled down a steep bank and into small river of dirty water, his bandages from the mission he had taken were ruined and needed to be changed but they didn't have the time to stop. Natsu was exhausted, physically and magically yet he had been pushing on, Gray couldn't stop either. The two wizards needed to get somewhere safe, anywhere. The horror that they had witnessed in Magnolia was still fresh in their minds but they needed to push on, they couldn't let what they saw stop them otherwise...

"Let's go!" Natsu growled jumping into the river next to him and pulling Gray to his feet, rage on his face. He wasn't angry at Gray, the ice wizard knew that, Natsu's anger was the only reason that the two of them were still alive. Natsu had the power of flames, the angrier he was the stronger his flames became. Master had once told him that it was the Flames of Emotions that made Natsu as strong as he was. "Come on!" Natsu growled as he began to run down the river, Gray following after him.

* * *

-Earlier-

Men were laughing as they threw woman around like rag dolls in the streets between one another. Groping and pulling at clothes that were torn and shredded. Men lay dead in the streets of Magnolia as fires burned around them. The soldier's didn't care they had won their fight and were taking the spoils of the town, it helped that the woman of the town were a pick above the rest.

One man was on all fours atop of a woman fumbling with his belt as the woman cried beneath him struggling to get out before the man would lash out at her, striking her. She had watched the same man butcher her husband and new born. She wept as the man hiked up her dress before situating himself between her legs, a maniacal grin on his face.

"Get the fuck away from her!" A roar came from the side making the soldier look only for his face to cave in from the fist that planted itself in his face and he went flying back. The woman looked up and saw black hair from the shirtless teen and whimpered. "Run, now." Gray told her and she picked herself up before running noticing a pink haired teen eating the fire of the shop she had once worked at. "This is our fucking home!" Gray roared at the top of his lungs as he saw several soldiers looking at him.

"FIRE DRAGON'S ROAR!" The attack hit the group of soldiers sending them into an inferno, Gray watched as a few ran from the fire and glared heatedly in rage at what he was witnessing happening in Magnolia, he could see the guild off in the distance smoke rising from some of the building but it was still intact.

"Natsu, the guild." Gray told him.

"What about the town?" Natsu questioned.

"Kick anyone's ass that gets in your way! We need the help of Fairy Tail to stop the soldiers!" He shouted already running down the streets. Natsu nodded and the two struck at anyone who wasn't a resident of the city they called home, it was easy to define between the soldiers and the civilians of Magnolia by the uniforms that the soldiers were wearing.

The two barged into the guild, already semi exhausted from all the magic power they had been using and froze at the sight of the guild. Bile rose up in Gray's throat as he held a hand to his mouth and turned away from the sight clenching his eyes shut as Natsu stood rage on his face as the air around him heated up.

Their guild mates, their friends, their family were strung up like cattle in a slaughter house, some were missing limbs others had their stomachs ripped open and their insides were hanging from them. Some held ropes around their necks to support them from the rafters while others had metal hooks rammed through their bodies. So many familiar faces, all lifeless with looks of horror on their faces showing that their last moments in this life were of fear.

The doors behind the two crashed open and the two could see hundreds of soldiers ready to attack even more soldiers appeared from a side entrances to the guild and more to the rear entrance. Natsu and Gray were forced to retreat into the middle of the carnage that was the Fairy Tail guild hall. The soldiers were all quiet some held smug looks on there faces as the two wizards glared heatedly at them before footsteps echoed in the stillness of the hall.

Natsu and Gray both turned to see a woman with long blue hair in a white uniform walking from the back entrance, she walked with a show of power in her step. Her sizeable cleavage showed a black tattoo on her chest, crossed behind her back was a sheath holding a rapier and around her neck a blue scarf. She was simply wiping her hands on a rag which was drenched in blood as she stopped and looked over the two wizards.

"Oh?" She questioned a small smile on her face her hat slightly tilted to the side. "Like what I've done with the place?" She questioned and Natsu couldn't hold it any more, he shot forward in a blind rage.

* * *

-Present-

Gray had tried to get the images out of his head of all the friends he had seen, or could at least recognise but he couldn't, the sight of everyone he knew was killed and strung up. There was no way he could forget that. The looks on there faces showing what they felt in the last moments of their lives. Gray couldn't stand it, his rage was growing even more as they were forced to flea from their home.

Unknowingly he had let tears run down his face as he ran down the river following after Natsu. They needed to lose their pursuers, they had been running since before nightfall and they doubted that the one who had ordered their capture would simply let it go because it was dark.

The two heard shouts in the night and immediately stopped in the ankle deep water. Both crouched down as they saw the light of a burning torch on the trees above the high banks to their right. Natsu looked over his shoulder at Gray, anger clearly present in Natsu's eyes before he gestured with his head to the left. The two exited the river slowly as to not disturb the water before rushing into the brush and sprinting across the forest ground.

* * *

-Earlier-

Natsu collided with Esdese which surprised her most of all as his first fist impacted her jaw harder then anything had hit her before, her whole body slammed into the floor of the guild, the floorboards cracking underneath the force of Natsu's first hit. She could already taste the iron in her mouth from where she was bleeding from her gums.

She could see the burning rage in the pink haired teens eyes as he looked up at him, he readied his other fist and slammed it into the other side of her jaw -with even more force that the first- opposite side to where he had first hit her. A few seconds after his fist had struck he had been tackled off of the blue haired woman. Esdese turned her head to see who had tackled the Dragon Slayer.

Her eyes widened as she saw that it was one of her three most trusted soldiers, Daidara. His large form was holding Natsu to the ground before his entire body and more erupted into a torrent of flames, Daidara cried out from the burning inferno making Esdese get to her feet only for Daidara to land to her side, the furious Dragon Slayer glaring at her with hate filled eyes. Daidara groaned as he rose to his feet reaching for his axe on his back and pulling it into his hands.

"I'll take care of this General, there is no need for you to sully your hands." Daidara told her as he hefted the axe up onto his shoulder. Esdese simply spat a mouthful of crimson blood from her mouth that landed on the floor of the guild with a slight splat.

"I want him alive." Esdese simply smiled before looking over at River and Nyau. "Kill the other one." The two other members of The Three Beasts simply looked to Gray to see him move into his ice make stance readying himself to fight the two. The two followed Esdese's orders and moved towards Gray before a shout stopped them.

"I'll fucking kill you all!" Natsu roared gaining everyone's attention, the flames around him growing hotter to where even Gray was surprised at the sudden rise in heat radiating from around the Dragon Slayer's form. Esdese simply smiled as she walked up to Daidara's side and patted him on the arm.

"I said alive, I don't care if he's intact. As long as he can still scream." Esdese told the large man who nodded and dashed forward swinging the axe down over his head, that's when Gray saw it the light trickle of lightning in Natsu's flames and his eyes widened.

"Lightning Flame Dragon's Roar!" Daidara's eyes widened as he was hit full brunt with the attack and was sent flying past Esdese who jumped out of the way of the powerful attack and watched in awe as one side of the guild hall was destroyed along with a large portion of the buildings that resided in the path that Natsu's attack led. River and Nyau watched in horror as their team mate was blasted out of the guild hall. Esdese simply watched with wide eyes as the flames covered in lightning began to dim and turned back to Natsu to see him glaring at her.

"Find Daidara." Esdese simply instructed without looking at either of the two making River and Nyau nod their heads and follow the path of destruction that Natsu had created with a single attack. Esdese kept looking at Natsu curiosity passing through her eyes as rage passed through his, he was about to attack once more before a familiar scream reached his ears.

"NATSU!"

* * *

-Present-

Natsu's breath was ragged, he was holding his side, the previous bandages that had been applied to the wounds that had occurred on the mission he had Gray took were now a deep red from an attack by Esdese. He stumbled before tripping and falling face first into the ground, his face skidding through the mud. Gray was instantly by his side trying to get him to his feet, even going so far as to pull one of the Dragon Slayer's arms over his shoulders and drag him up from the ground only for them both to collapse a few feet away.

"Just go!" Natsu growled only for Gray to punch the ground.

"Shut the fuck up!" Gray cursed. "Get your ass up! We've got to go!" He hissed.

"Gray, run!" Natsu growled smelling the scent of another. "Run!" He roared and burst into flames, the light illuminating a figure standing just a few meters away from them. Gray rose to his feet and raised his hands up in defence, he had no magic power left to fight with all he had left was his fists. Natsu had probably just used the last of his magic energy with that burst of flames. Small flames littered the area illuminating the forest floor with a faint glow.

"Who're you!?" Gray growled noticing that the person wasn't wearing one of the soldiers uniforms he had been accustomed to seeing that day. They were simply wearing a black suit which Gray found odd for the current situation but didn't dwell on it, the person's right arm looked almost mechanical and they had an almost feminine looking face for a man.

"You two got away?" The voice was feminine, even enough for Gray to consider the person to be a woman. Natsu punched the ground small sparks was all that emitted as he glared up at the woman standing before them she was actually taken back at the rage in his eyes. "I'm not here to hurt you, let me help." She told them.

"Why should we trust you?" Gray questioned.

"Because I'm in a revolution against the Empire, the same Empire that just attacked that town." Gray's eyes widened at the sudden knowledge that was passed on. "You need to get away from here, I can help. She won't stop the hunt for a long time, neither of you have the current strength to deal with the hunting parties after you." Gray looked down to Natsu who was still glaring at the woman, he wondered if his oldest friend would ever recover from what he saw back in the guild.

"How can you help us?" Gray questioned. "And who are you?"

"My name is Najenda, I'm a general in the Revolution Army. Follow me and Ill explain everything."

* * *

-Earlier-

Natsu's head whipped to the side at the scream, he knew it instantly. It was Lucy. Dashing for the door that would lead to one of the many back rooms of Fairy Tail, his eyes widened as he hit the deck rolling beneath the sword that almost cleaved him in two. He jumped to his feet and skidded back across the floor to see Esdese standing with her rapier drawn a small smile on her face.

"Friend of yours?" She questioned. "I had fun with a red headed girl earlier. She thought she was some kind of knight I think." Natsu's rage grew at the mention of Erza. "She was strong too, had many different swords in that pocket dimension Teigu she had." Natsu didn't know the term that she had just used but somehow she thought Erza's magic was something else. "She barely screamed the first couple of times that I cut into her with her own swords, I believe she's still alive, although the men are a bit rough with their prize's." Natsu flew forward fist engulfed in flames however Esdese simply parred his fist to the side with her rapier making his eyes widen before she kneed him in the stomach with extreme force sending him tumbling back.

"That one there." She continued as she pointed her rapier up to a corpse hanging from a metal hook that jutted out through the chest of the victim. Natsu turned and saw the body she had pointed to and his anger grew as he saw the brutalised form of Gajeel. "Tried to be a hero and protect everyone." She simply smiled. "Especially a young girl... Wendy I think her name was." Natsu clenched his hands together blood trickling down from his palms as the air around him continued to grow hotter. "They were all strong, however all refused to become apart of the Empire. This is what happens when one refuses the call of the Empire, you western countries truly don't known the meaning of power." She sighed as she glanced over at Gray who was watching her intently turning her attention back to Natsu her eyes widened as she saw a flame infused fist coming straight for her face, she ducked under it at the last possible moment before placing a hand on Natsu's already bandaged stomach.

"AH!" Natsu cried out as a spike of ice pierced through his gut and he fell to his knees infront of her, one hand gripping the shard of ice as the other supported him. Esdese turned and parried an ice sword from Gray before a kick from Natsu caught her off guard sending her flying back into a group of soldiers.

"You alright?" Gray questioned kneeling down next to Natsu.

"Go find Lucy!" Natsu growled as he melted the ice in his gut before he cauterized the wound to stop the bleeding, with clenched teeth he pushed himself up onto his feet. Gray simply nodded before running for the back rooms where Lucy's scream had originated from. Natsu watched as the group of soldiers that Esdese had crashed into all turned into pillars of ice blood of her own soldiers coating the white spikes as Esdese walked from the ice glacier she had made.

"General!" River called out making Esdese turn from Natsu to one of her trusted soldiers. "Daidara... he's dead ma'am." Esdese's eyes opened momentarily before they set back into her normal cold look as she turned back to Natsu who was holding his injured side. She brandished her rapier before simply swiping it in the air and sheathing it in one quick movement before clapping.

"You're strong, the strong live and the weak die. Daidara was weaker then you so he died. That's how this world works you know, the strong will live on and build upon the corpses of the weak." Esdese told him. "But I can't forgive you for killing one of my precious subordinates." She told him. "But you're strong, I'll acknowledge that. So I'll give you a choice, take Daidara's place or die." She offered.

"Fuck you."

* * *

With Gray

Gray smashed the last frozen body and crouched down before Lucy who was sobbing on the ground she was naked, her face was mattered with blood among other substances the smell of urine hit Gray like a sack of bricks but he didn't worry about it. He cradled her in his arms and she whimpered as he turned her over in his arms, and he gasped as he saw the large gouge in her stomach blood seeping from it with numerous scratches covering her, he looked down her bruised body and had to look away. Bite marks from dogs ran up her legs, chunks of flesh taken out. Around her neck was the whip she used in her fights, he pulled it from around her neck only to see the red raw marks around it.

"L-Lucy..." Gray said softly, the blonde looking up at him with an almost lifeless look in her eye making him clench his own eyes shut at the site.

"R-run away." Lucy gasped, holding a hand over her torn open stomach as more blood seeped from it. "S-She's a monster." Lucy told him gripping his arm. "She came in as a person requesting help and killed Master Makarov with a single swipe of her sword. There was no warning." She told him.

"I've got to get you help, there has to be others alive too." Lucy simply shook her head.

"Don't..." Lucy pleaded. "Don't look." She begged him as he felt her grip on his arm loosening. "J-Just... run." The light faded from Lucy's eyes made tears fall unconsciously from Gray's eyes as her body went slack in his grip. Gripping his arms tightly around her he cried before an explosion rocked the guild making Gray's eyes hardened as he lay Lucy down and walked out to help Natsu.

However what Gray hadn't been expecting to see was Natsu pinned to a wall, Esdese's rapier stabbing into his shoulder with numerous ice spikes sticking him to the wall, the woman in question twisting the blade making Natsu roar not in pain but in anger. Esdese was smiling as she leaned forward inches from Natsu's own face as he glared into her icy blue.

"I enjoy that look in a person's eyes, it's so fun to break the ones who think they can resist." She told him as Natsu grit his teeth as she forced the rapier further into his shoulder before twisting the blade once more.

"Ice Make Hammer!" Esdese eyes widened as she turned to the side only for the blunt side of a large hammer struck her side sending her flying across the guild hall and smashing into a wall with a crash. Gray pulled the rapier out of Natsu's arm before shattering the ice spikes sticking out of him making him collapse down to his knees. "We gotta go." Gray told him throwing the sword to the side.

"What about Lucy!? What about everyone else!?" Natsu questioned however was answered with silence, as he looked up at Gray the ice wizard simply shook his head making Natsu scowl as he punched the ground the floor boards cracking slightly. Pulling himself to his feet he looked around at all the soldiers surrounding the building Gray doing the same, they needed to get out of here before Esdese got back to her feet.

"Come on." Gray said running for the front entrance, Natsu following after him. The two were surprised to see a massive wall of ice spread out before them but Natsu didn't care and continued to charge forward engulfing himself in flames.

"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" He roared as he reared back before smashing his fist into the ice wall making it shatter upon impact before Gray placed both hands behind his back as he ran forward. With his right hand on top of the left, in the usual Ice-Make stance, ice begins to emit from his palm.

"Ice Make Unlimited!" With remarkable shaping speed, a vast amount of swords and axes were created, all made of ice in various shapes and sizes. The ice weapons were connected by a large chain of ice that spiralled around Gray several times with the blades pointing outwards. "One Sided Chaotic Dance!" Gray called out finishing the spell as he swung one arm forward and the other backwards, sending the large chain of weapons towards the soldiers, freezing the men allowing both Natsu and Gray to run through the frozen soldiers.

The two wizards ran from the guild through the streets of Magnolia and into the forest surrounding the city leaving their burning home behind, hearing the hunting parties already after them only made them run faster.

Back in Fairy Tail Esdese simply smiled as she walked through the frozen soldiers running a delicate hand over the ice and seeing the scorch marks of the flames that Natsu had used against them. River and Nyau came up behind her and bowed to her.

"Find them both." Esdese told them. "Alive. I want to break them personally."

**I think I did better with this Akame Ga Kill crossover then I did with my Bleach/Akame Ga Kill story.**


	2. Chapter 2

Doranbolt sat next to the fire in the large camp his face in his hands as he tried to come to terms with what he had just heard in the mission report. Magnolia had been burnt to the ground. After everything had happened after how much happiness he held that Fairy Tail had once again reached what it once was... now once again, it was all gone just this time there was no coming back.

There hadn't been any news of any survivors and it was days later after the initial attack, with how the enemy was advancing leaving no one alive he had his doubts of any survivors at all, but this was Fairy Tail, the strongest guild in Earth Land maybe they could of survived, just like they had Tenrou Island. He looked up as he heard a commotion and was surprised to see the woman that came from the east or the so called Empire walking into camp with an unconscious Natsu and a weary Gray, two members of the guild he had just been worrying about, getting to his feet he rushed over to Najenda.

"They both need medical attention." She told him. "This one more then the other, Esdese got to him directly." She explained making Doranbolt's eyes widened, it was the first report of anyone surviving a direct fight with the sadistic general.

"Medic!" Doranbolt shouted causing a mass of confusion for the weary Gray who was disoriented as he was rushed away, he saw people placing Natsu in a cot and immediately grew worried for his friend, even going so far as to fight the medics to get to Natsu the medical team had to sedate the Ice Wizard. Doranbolt was shocked as he watched as Gray was carried off before turning to the tent where Natsu had been taken, the intensive care unit. He turned and was met with the tired visage of Najenda who had lit up a smoke and let out a tired sigh.

"You know them?" She questioned her mechanical arm rolling, Doranbolt watching as the gears within turned with each movement.

"They're from a guild known as Fairy Tail."

"Were. Were from a guild." Najenda told him. "It's gone now, nothing's left, just like everywhere else that damn army's been." She told him, her eyes serious. "They're both lucky to be alive, when I found them the pink one was suffering from sever wounds, blood loss and magic exhaustion. Gray was exhausted, magically and physically and their minds... I don't even know where to start. Natsu's been unconscious since I found them but Gray... he's not dealing with it well."

"And Magnolia?"

"I suspect it's burnt to the ground." Najenda told him as the two walked back to the large fire Doranbolt had been sitting at. "I ran into these two before making contact with the town itself, they had a hunting party after them. Gray explained what he could, Esdese personally butchered this Fairy Tail." Doranbolt clenched his hands as Najenda took a seat on the ground, he wasn't liking how she was simply disregarding Fairy Tail like she was. "I'm surprised they were able to get away to be honest."

"Gray and Natsu are strong." Doranbolt told her, remembering how the two had fought in the recent Magic Games, how Natsu had personally taken down Dragon's.

"I can tell." She mused allowed.

"Fairy Tail was filled with strong Wizards, the strongest guild in Fiore." Najenda looked up with her one good eye as she watched him through the trail of smoke raising form her cigarette in her mouth. "They wouldn't of simply laid down and taken death easily." He stated.

"Then answer me this." She questioned raising both knees up and placing her wrists on her knees as she glared at him. "Would they have killed the soldiers?" Doranbolt's eyes widened, Fairy Tail was numerous for it's destructive power and random injuries over the years but never once had they ever killed anybody. Fairy Tail was against killing, no matter what, they weren't murderers.

"The soldiers they fought against would of fought until their lives ended because if they didn't Esdese would of killed them for holding back. That's the type of army you're fighting, it's kill or be killed, even if it's not the enemy that's going to be doing the killing." She told him. Doranbolt looked away from her making Najenda sigh. "The Empire isn't a fluffy country like this one, people die there daily because someone orders them to be killed. You start thinking you can reason with these people and you might as well slit your own throat."

"That's enough." Both turned to see Lahar standing there. "I've received reports that two male wizards were brought here by you."

"That's right." Najenda said with a slight smirk. "Problem?"

"What guild, names, rank."

"I'm not in the mood to give a report to someone who thinks he's a soldier." She stated as Lahar gritted his teeth.

"Natsu Dragneel and Gray Fullbuster." Lahar's eye's widened as he turned to Doranbolt who gave him the needed information. "Right now, only known survivors."

"Better then none, but we were going to send troops to Magnolia just as the enemy arrived. Scouts report no sign of life from the ruins." He sighed as he rubbed his brow atop his glasses. "Once again we have no lead on where they're heading next, nor do we know their true objective."

"It's annihilation." Najenda said standing up. "Esdese doesn't get sent on missions of negotiation." She said turning and walking over to the medical tent where Gray had been taken. Doranbolt watched as she entered her tent before Lahar placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Rest, it's late. Tomorrow both of us are leading a battalion of soldiers to the guild of Blue Pegasus." Doranbolt's eyes widened. "We're sending large teams to the remaining guilds. If we set up proper preparations, communications we should be able to be alert for the next attack and make orders to deal with the situation at hand."

"You think they're going after the Wizard Guilds?" Doranbolt questioned.

"So far towns with guilds are the only ones that have been attacked. First it was Sabretooth, then Quatro Cerberus and Lamia Scale. They seem to be attacking guilds that were high ranking before the recent games."

"Any news on strategies from the Magic Council?" Lahar simply shook his head.

"No, the King has been issuing us orders. Since seven years ago with the incident with Jellal the Etherion hasn't even come into question. If the Magic council was to even consider it, I believe the King would seek to subdue the Magic council by any means. The casualties would be too high."

"If the enemy ever found out about Etherion, things would get even worse." Doranbolt said coming to a realisation.

"Another reason why the King would wish to leave the weapon alone until a last resort." Lahar nodded. "Go rest, we have a long march tomorrow." Lahar told him making Doranbolt sigh as the other Rune Knight walked away. Turning, Doranbolt left to his own tent.

Najenda simply watched as several medics went about taking care of Gray's injuries as she stood in the corner of the tent. She'd seen the look in both of their eyes when she had first seen them. Fear was evident but there was something else entirely, something she knew all to well. Anger, hate, loss and the last was will. The will to do anything to avenge the ones who had been taken from them. Raising her hand up to her chin she began to think, the two were strong enough to survive a match with Esdese and come out alive and they had power.

"_Night Raid might be in for some new members, if I can convince them."_ She thought as she watched the medical personal finish up with Gray leaving her alone in the tent with him. _"It's the only way I can see of them getting revenge on Esdese. It's not justice what we do but it might be the only way. They would just need to understand that killing is the job."_

* * *

-Day's Later-

Gray sighed as he flipped another page in the report that had arrived, it'd been a few days since he had awoken in the medical tent. Najenda had explained where they were and how this was the main base of operations. He found it odd that they weren't in Crocus or any other city but Najenda explained that since Earthland had joined up with the Rebellion of the Empire it was best that they keep to neutral ground as much as possible. Meaning that currently the Rebellion was under investigation by the Fiore Army.

Natsu was unconscious in the cot next to him, Gray having been told that he should be waking up soon after the sedatives wore off from his system. The pink haired Dragon Slayer was covered in bandages, Esdese had done a lot more damage then he had originally thought, everyone was surprised to find that the Dragon Slayer was still alive after everything he had went through.

"What will you do now?" Najenda's voice questioned making Gray look up to see the woman standing opposite Natsu's cot, the ice wizard hadn't even heard her enter the tent. "Once he wakes up." Gray closed the report he had been looking at.

"Once Natsu's ready, we'll head to Magnolia, pick up the trail and find that woman." Gray told her. "There are members of Fairy Tail still in Fiore that weren't in Magnolia at the time of the attack." Gray started surprising Najenda. "Some were on jobs, if only I knew how to contact Gildarts." He sighed raising a hand up to his head and rubbing his brow. "He could be halfway across the damn continent for all we know."

"She won't stay in this land for long." Gray's head shot to Najenda to see her staring at Natsu's unconscious form as if studying him. "She's the strongest asset to the Empire, she's needed close to the capital otherwise the emperor and all the rich bureaucrats get nervous." She almost spat. "When she's away it's easier for my company to move around and do our job."

"Your company?" Gray questioned, wandering exactly who this woman was. She was close to Magnolia as if observing what was happening.

"I command a small group of specialists." Najenda told him making Gray furrow his eyebrows slightly. "We fight behind the scenes in the capital."

"What kind of specialists?" Gray questioned making Najenda sigh as she reached into her pocket and pulled a packet of cigarettes out and lite one up before folding her arms and looking back at him.

"Assassins." Gray's eyes widened in surprise. "We get orders from the chain of command, we also get contracts from the civilians of the city." She glanced at him from the corner of her eye seeing the dark look in his eyes. "Think of us what you want, we're nothing more then murderers. I don't try to justify what we do, I don't see the point. Killing is killing, I don't believe there is another name for it." She turned and walked towards the side of Natsu's form making Gray stiffen slightly. "One week or two, Esdese will be called back to the Capital, I hear there is a massive army to the North that the Empire is going to send her and her army to deal with."

"Why are you telling me this?" Gray questioned.

"Because unless you have a plan, you're going to lose sight of Esdese." Najenda told him. "That's why I'm going to offer both of you to join Night Raid, become assassins and help us take Esdese down." Gray's eyes shot wide open as he stood up abruptly.

"I'm not a killer!" Gray snapped at her.

"Then what do you plan to do with Esdese once you find her?" Najenda stood her ground as she glared back at him. "Give her a stern talking to? Before a slap on the wrist and send her on her merry little way with a bucket full of sunshine and friendship? She massacred your guild your family!" Gray clenched his eyes closed as he turned away from her, his hand's balled into fists as they trembled, images of the blood soaked guild passing through his mind.

"Night Raid is getting notorious every passing day in the Capital, with that comes danger but it also means were making progress in this god forsaken war. What we do isn't good and it isn't bad, we do it because we do it. Esdese needs to die, she's the monster here. Without her the Empire will crumble." She let out a soft breath. "We need powerful people to fight against her."

"We barely stood a chance against her." Gray told her.

"But you did stand against her." Najenda told him. "At the time, both of you were shocked, angry, neither of you were in the right mind to take on such a battle. You said Natsu made her bleed, right?" Gray nodded his head, remembering Natsu's first punch to her jaw made her spit out blood. "I've never seen that woman bleed before Gray, not even a little. She's been in numerous war zones and not once had she ever drawn blood. You're both powerful, I know you wouldn't kill anyone but there are people that need to die in the Empire, if you've seen what I've seen in the cursed city, you'd agree with me."

"And Esdese?" Both Najenda and Gray's eyes widened as they turned to Natsu, only one of his eyes uncovered by bandages but it was open as it held hatred, something Gray had never seen in his best friends eyes before.

"Night Raid will eventually be targeted by Esdese, we're beginning to hit high priority targets which means our notoriety is growing like wild fire." She told him. "She's the highest priority that the Rebellion needs to deal with. There is a eighty percent chance that Night Raid will come into contact with her in the future. The Empire will see us as more of a threat and order her personally to deal with us." Gray turned to Natsu to see him looking up at the ceiling of the tent before his uncovered eye shot to him.

"We can't let her get away with this." Natsu told him and Gray could only nod his head in agreement.


End file.
